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Hi Steve, If there’s not too much snow on the ground I want to go up to Rye Patch to do some detecting this month (Dec). I’ve got an AT Gold and an Infinium (AKMD). I’m ready to add a third detector in the sub-$1500 range. In your opinion what will be a decent choice from the 2018 models/makes out there? I was leaning to the GB2 but any better suggestion will help. thanks much in advance, Morgan Evans (from Sterling but wintering in Sparks this year)

I’m a newbie to the forums. In fact, since I don’t even own a detector (yet), I guess I’m a “no”bie. A bunch of questions are bubbling around in my head as I try to get better informed about detecting. Here’s one that is currently on my mind. I plan to keep some records of my detecting experiences. Initially, a lot of my focus will be recording detector settings and results so that I may better learn how to use my (future) detector (maybe a NOX 800). The advice I’m hoping some will share, is what records do you keep and in what format. I’ve spotted some software created for use by detectorists. Some allows recording of GPS coordinates (perhaps more useful for gold hunters than coin shooters); detector settings; “finds” records (including uploading photos); free form notes; etc. So what do YOU record please and how? Software? A notebook or diary? As a learning tool or just to capture fun memories? Do you search or review your past records? OK, I’ll take a breath. Any information and advice will be greatly appreciated, thank you! PS - I searched the forums before posting this and found a couple of related threads but nothing very specific. If this topic has been addressed in detail before, please point me in the right direction rather than create redundant threads. Thanks, Bozko. (Thank you Steve for moving this post to the appropriate forum. I realized after I posted it that it wasn’t in right spot but then wasn’t sure how or where to move it. Newbie error.)

Will the Gold Bug Pro run well with a Detech 13" Ultimate coil that was made for the "greek series" detectors? Their website doesn't give a whole lot of information https://www.detech-metaldetectors.com/products/coils/81-13q-ultimate-dd-detech-coil.html I want a bigger coil for my GBP than the stock coil that came with it as a Gold Bug Pro DP and I've read good things about the ultimate, and I have a guy willing to sell me his off his Omega 8000 at a reasonable price. I've found the Gold Bug Pro has remarkably accurate Target ID's on coins, almost up there if not equal to my Equinox and possibly better than my T2 so I was thinking if I got a bigger coil for it perhaps my wife would use it for the odd coin shooting adventure, I think at the moment shes a bit put off by me cleaning up with my Nox and her using the T2 and not doing near as well, as she likes I know it's a coin before digging, the T2 isn't such an accurate detector on the Target ID's as the Nox but the GBP seems pretty darn good. The T2 bounces around on the target ID's, the Nox gets a solid 21/22 almost every time. The easier I make it for her the more she may like it and I don't want to spend the money on a Nox 600 for her right now as she'll only use it 3 or 4 times a year so I don't want a fixed lithium style battery detector for her. AA or 9V is more suited to that and I'd rather use what I've got. Thanks in advance for any advice.

This may seem hilarious but I want to use my detector to find a locomotive or two. In the 1920's some trains were buried nearby as a bit of a stop bank for the river to help with flooding as they no longer had a use for the trains when they decommissioned the train lines and their scrap metal value at the time was next to nothing. A team of guys are finding the trains to restore them to put them on display in the town. It seems from the surface currently the ones that have been found are about a meter down when you first encounter the metal but that could obviously vary, that's just ones they found using a digger exploring. I have a limited supply of detectors but I think possibly my GPX 4500 using the biggest coil I can get my hands on might be the best choice of detector? I can detect my car from almost what feels like about 2 meters in the air using the GPX and 14x9 Evo Mono and a train has a whole lot more metal than my car. I also have the Equinox with 12x15" coil, the T2 with 15" Teknetics coil and Garrett Euroace which is quite low frequency at 8.25khz with the 12x13" Nel Tornado coil and I have the 12x15" DD Commander coil for my GPX. Here is the ones they've found already And the Newspaper story on it https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/109051796/trains-unearthed-in-southland-for-the-first-time-in-nine-decades Does it seem feasible I would be able to help them find more using the GPX or any other detector? It's been mentioned I maybe able to help them but I wasn't sure. Also, if the GPX is the best, is there settings on it that would be best to find bigger deep targets, I have it setup to find small gold. Thanks 🙂

Enjoy!😎 Ig

I have had good success with the 800 using factory settings. Lately, the beach targets have slowed down significantly due to fewer tourists and more detectorists. Will a slower recovery speed give more depth and increase targets? Let me add I use beach 1, all metal, sensitivity around 22.

I want to buy a good detector or detector bundles but theres so many to choose from need suggestions. Any help would be appreciated

I've had a detector since I was about 9 years old. I got my first "bigger one" from Radio Shack as a gift when I was 14 (big nerd). That was all relic type hunting at the beach. parks, etc.. I was then out of it for most of my adult life until I got a Garrett 1150 in 2010 and did more beach combing around the LA area. I stopped over time with the trash on those beaches being overwhelming after a while. I got the bug to start looking into gold a few years ago, and I do a lot of 4x4 exploring with some serious equipent so it seems like a great combo. I researched all forums, reviews, videos etc for a year straight. I went to gold shows, in Vegas and SoCal. Sat in on lectures and asked guru's lots of questions. and 6 months of thinking and studying more, I finally got a deal on a GPX5000 with a great coil package. I'm just now getting back from another trip to gold claims run by AMRA and another small prospecting group Im a member of and I'm starting to get that feeling... The one where you want to give up after digging countless holes and getting nothing back but bullets and junk. I think I got my technique down as Im finding even tiny bullet fragments and pellets. Never a nugget of any kind. What do you guys do if/when you feel tired from trash? Do you ever team up with someone that has had luck? lol maybe that's a stupid question because who would share good location ideas!? I do all the suggested things Ive read here. I went to a few old gold mines as well but the bullets, WOW... one had 1000's of shells everywhere so i just left. in fact two guys pulled up when i was leaving with rifles and targets. ENDLESS lead in the ground there. Same with the others I ran into. I dont know anymore. I've spent countless hours out there since, from NoCal around Placerville to Nevada to Mojave. The claims I hit are all full of junk to the point where some would take a year of digging to find anything, to others that never hit on a thing other than a rare nail or washer, with one wire being about like a human hair! (the 5000 with a nugget finder is sensitive !) I need to rethink what Im doing I guess. I can't afford the fuel to keep randomly driving down miles of rough roads and hours of highway. Either it's all dug out and I wasted a lot of my savings and need to sell it, or I need to figure out a whole different way of finding places and/or team up with someone more experienced on the gold side of things to share ideas with. And yes I study maps of old mines, join gold clubs and even try to figure out what western US region people are in that post youtube clips of finds... but so far, nothing, and I'm all out of gas money for the month. Pic samples of my "success" so far!

I got a good idea. Light bulb moment. 👍 Why don't you let your wife use the Nox & you use the GBP? JW

I had an idea some time ago to add a switch to my Gold Bug Pro for easy changing between Disc mode and All Metal mode without having to adjust my threshold every time, I got the idea from seeing KiwiJW flicking between All metal and Disc on his GB2 to check targets when we were creek detecting, I thought that's a good idea, it's a shame it's annoying to do that on the Gold Bug Pro.. I also wanted an easy way to be in Disc mode and do a ground balance without again having to switch to All metal to do it so I thought a 3 way switch with on / off / momentary on would be perfect for the task.. I mentioned it here and EL NINO77 pointed out it's been done already but just with an on/off switch on this thread here Anyway, I had myself some spare time today so I ripped it open and started modding. You'll see on the photo I indicated what needs cut to add the switch No, that's not a short and curly 🙂 This seemed the best location for the switch, it was a tight fit but it's by far the most comfortable position for the switch to be once it's all assembed again All done, now lets assemble it again and test it out And there we have it, I can now use the switch to change between Disc and All metal modes so you don't have to keep messing with your threshold, Disc is in the middle, All Metal pushed forward where it locks in position and if I pull back on the switch it goes to All metal and as soon as I let go the switch reverts back to Disc mode by itself, this is very handy for a ground balance as you pull the trigger switch backwards and hold down the GG button and do your ground grab and then just let go of both the switch and GG button and you're back in Disc mode balanced. Quite a nice simple mod to do but resolves one thing that annoyed me about my Gold Bug Pro. I think my next project will be to backlight the screen. I'm not claiming this to be my idea as it looks like it's been done before using an On/Off switch as someone else has had the same idea, I just modified the idea to have my momentary All Metal mode for quicker ground balancing in Disc Mode. My switch type is an On/Off/Momentary On switch. The switch has an optional water resistant cover which I don't know if I'll put on it, as the detector isn't waterproof anyway and it makes the switch feel weird as then it's all rubbery. Keep in mind this will void your warranty, I didn't care about that as I bought my GBP's in Australia and I would never bother to send one back for repair as postage would be a killer, if it developed a fault. I'd try fix it myself.

I realize this is a detecting site... but I just had to share... I went to the bank today to take care of some personal business... on a whim, I asked the teller if she had any rolls of halves or dollars. I like using big coins to treat the kids for acts of kindness, or for buying lemonade from the neighborhood lemonade stand... plus, maybe I would find a silver mixed in. My teller didn't have any, so she asked another teller down the line, who happened to have 3 rolls of halves in her till. I bought all three. When I got back to work, I pulled them out of my pocket, and opened up one end of a roll for a sneak peak. Wouldn't you know there was a 1964 Kennedy staring at me. I slid the rest of the roll into my hand... then the next roll... then the next. 60 coins. 45 coins 1964 or older, 15 coins 1965-1969. I thought my day was going well when I found a silver rosie and a silver canadian quarter in a sidewalk strip at lunch... little did I know what was waiting for me at the bank.. I am still a little in shock. Thanks for allowing my distraction from the detecting forum for a moment. 🙂 ~Tim

If there is one then ignore this. I would love to see a laminated Cheat card Telling the setting (what button does what) for the Gold Master 24K...would make it easier for us who can't remember S... Well Stuff. Thanks

I recently obtained permission to detect an 1870's farmhouse property that's never been detected as it's been in the same family since built. I just got a new Nox 800 to try out today and will be using it with my ctx3030. I'm looking for any recommendations on a set up/program to use at this old home site for the Nox 800. Any help is appreciated.

Well , I was using explorer xs to work in the test garden and noticed half the screen went out. Discovered that a couple of the plastic bosses for the screws in the control head had broken, allowing the pc board to separate. On last ditch effort to repair would be to replace plastic control housing if cost effective. So looking to purchase a front half for the control housing.. This is the plastic that the keypad attaches too. I would consider a parted machine if not cost prohibitive. I am kind of attached to the xs , and was trying to keep as a backup, but I think it is P......d because the nox is the new kid. Prop

Tried my usual dealers and nothing. If anyone has a lead on one they want to share, or tried one and it's not your cup of tea and want to sell it, please PM me

https://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=267857

Here is another one for you guys to figure out. I haven't the slightest clue, this one makes my head hurt. It was found in the water. This old bay has an insane asylum built on it dating from the late 1800's. It is also has a ghost town, a failed colonial type trading settlement dating from around 1825. Before that it was a native village but I think it's safe to say this is not native American. It has three stars, or starfish? and a small hole on each side. It measures about an inch across. It weighs about 17 grams but has at least some sand and clay remaining inside. There is no way you guys are going to guess what it is.

Is there a way to reinforce this part of the plastic? It will soon be cut off.

I talked with a friend yesterday and he mentioned that a common prospecting friend of ours had lost his home in the "Camp" fire now burning over in the Paradise - Magilia area of Butte County. (this is a guy very unlikely to be known by any of the prospectors here). I thought of a couple of folks many of you here are likely to know - Digger Bob and Miner John Derloo (maker of Miner John Coils and accessories). They also live in that same general area. I hate to call as they are likely busy with other more important things (like evacuating or their neighborhood on fire) and I was wondering if any of the folks here had heard anything on how they were doing. Both of these men have a number of friends, so I was hoping to hear some news. If not I will give them a call within a few days.

I have experienced the following and have read where others have too. The multi frequency is where it seems where most of the performance is with Equinox. However there are times where using single freq can help like checking bottlecaps say with 5 or 10 kHz. The problems comes in here where a user of Nox can accidentally leave their detector in singles freq ops hence they may lose out on the grand performances of multi freq unknowingly, hence miss some finds. So it would have been nice if Minelab would have incorporated an alarm ( that user can select) if they choose that would tell them they are not in multi freq. Mabe even consider allowing time delay adjustable to some degree before it sounds in the event a user does go to single freqs ops. This may of may not be achievable as far a small Equinox by way of updates, but future models using both multi and single freq ops, IMO it would be a nice feature to include. David

Hi all, based in West Aus and new to this detector. Actually, back into detecting after a 25 year break. Moved back to Aus after a long time away, and keen to get digging.. By coincidence Im in the same area that the earliest European settlers, and convicts (Fremantle) lived in West Aus. So id love to find a part of the history , (which is only half as old as US, but i still think interesting.) Now..This detector is super sensitive and Very deep ability compared to my vintage Whites, to the point it annoys me on trashy ground.Im finding it hard to decipher if its actually a massive large target 2 feet underground, like a can or alloy car part or a coin. The id is same as many Aussie coins, the depth says the same, but it sure aint the same item! Im not very good with machine yet, but i noticed the depth meter isnt very accurate on large items and i dig a massive hole to find a deep buried can instead of a coin. Any advice from your experience would be much appreciated cheers,

Greetings all, I am new to this forum, and my friend is looking to buy a metal detector, however he could definitely use some advice regarding what he should go for. He is thinking about OKM fusion metal detector and 3D ground scanner. I checked the site related to that product ( https://www.okmmetaldetectors.com/en/gold-detectors/metal-detector-okm-fusion/ ) However it feels kinda fishy and expensive for what it is... Therefore, my question is, what is your opinion on that product and if you have other alternatives please do share. Thank you all, much appreciated!

Is an original Minelab sovereign worth buying, I can get one pretty cheap but needs repair, the repair it needs I can do for minimal cost. What price do you think is a fair price for one?